Well my car finally died about a month ago so the pickup is now on the to do list! Some may call my list major overkill/pointless, but everything I'm replacing I have had to replace on my 85 at one point or another....So this time I'm going to do everything up front so I can try and stay off the side of the road.

To do list:
Rebuild rear axles/drain fluid add new
clutch/pp/slave/seals/t.o.b./whatever else I can get to
REplace gas tank/pick up tubes/sending unit
remove gas lines/clean out/replace filters and all rubber hoses
fully rebuild motor and do a little performance stuff to it
some body and interior work

Future wishes:
Bucket seats that fit much better than the honda prelude seats in my 85. Any ideas?
fiberglass dash
fiberglass a custom center console
fiberglass a box setup to hold a 10" sub in the center/amps on the sides and possibly some 6x9 in the corners behind the seats *The truck is a single cab so really have to plan out how to do this*
Kick panel speakers possibly

What's done so far:
I'm in the process of blasting/painting the leaf springs/u-bolt plates while I'm doing the axles. Once that's back together the drop will be middle leaf gone and 3" blocks. I have drop spindles for the front and will crank the torsions to match the back height.
Note: I'm using por-15 on the springs/plates and really like the way the stuff paints on and sticks, but I painted them on top of a plastic cover so the plastic burned to the metal. Hoping I can sand them a little and then put another coat on them.

I'm doing most of this myself as I have to done most of it before on my 85 so it's just getting to it and getting it done! It's dark so hopefully I can get some pictures tomorrow if I get home early enough.

I did find one pic... The front was wrecked, but didn't get a picture of it yet. I was just happy to finally get it leveled on jack stands *I've never had that back end of a truck fight me this much!
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This is my 85 and just to give a reference on the stance the 88 will have when it's done... Might go 1" lower all around, but that's it max
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Drop question:

With 3" block and the middle leaf pulled will that be a 4" drop?

I'm going to be doing drop spindles in the front and possibly the BJ flip in the front and trying to make the back match. I want to go with a little bigger tire on some 16" rims *medium profile instead of low* and just worried about rubbing on the fenders during a turn.

 

on the rear it depends...if your shocks r bad then it could lower it more than 4" but most likely w
a 3" block w the middle pull out it will give u about 4 to 4 1/2 in..

 

leaf springs and plates fully painted with por-15 and the rear end waiting to have the axles taken out for rebuilding.




Going to take the axles out hopefully Friday night/saturday night and start working on them. Taking the fuel system *front to back* out saturday during the day and hoping to have enough time to clean/blow out the metal fuel lines and then put all of the new stuff back in sunday.

Ordered a 1-ton sway bar and plan on hitting the parts store for all of the other parts/pieces I need to redo the front end including energy bushings.

 

Nice work

 

find a 4runner and get the seats out of it they rock. that is what is in mine and the bolts line up theres a pic of the seats in my build up thread. you can also get the center consol out of the 4runner as well. good luck!

 

How's the fitment from seat to steering wheel? I'm a bigger guy and always had trouble with that with the prelude seats so looking for something comfortable, but slimmer....

Also how did you do the two extra bolts? For the back ones I guess I could drill the hole to the proper size and weld a nut on the bottom of the cab and redo the front mount setup also or something...

 

Well got the axles out of the housing last night and got all of the fuel system out of the truck that I could. Going to put in a new tank, pick up tubes, pump *original mechanic*, sending unit, and all new rubber lines. Going to clean out the metal lines as best as possible incase of any trash in the lines tomorrow and put everything back in.

Tonight I'm hoping to get the axles apart and back together minus the brake stuff since that's all going to get replaced this coming week.

 

Managed to get one axle pressed apart before running out of motivation to finish lol! Replaced all of the rubber lines for the fuel system and got the lines cleaned out. Didn't manage to get the new tank in, but hopefully it will get done tuesday after work. Also relocated the fuel filter under the hood to save me future hassles of changing it!
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^(&(*&(^*%%&*%&*%!!!!!!!!

Got the bearing and collar pressed onto one axle and was doing the second one. Put the bearing into the flange and somehow during the process of pressing it *was pressing down on the axle with the collar/flange/bearing braced sliding onto it* the bearing slid out of the flange and got pressed on crocked and is half way out the flange!! Really hoping I didn't mess up the flange or bearing, but I have a feeling I did. Can't ever seem to catch a break these days when I try something new.
Anyone else ever done this and the flange/bearing were ok?? It's all brand new oem toyota parts crap!!!!!!

Curious: Anyone know if it's possible to put in new wheel studs after everything is pressed back on? Forgot to put the new studs on the assembled one and don't want to pull it back apart if I don't have to.

 

Some nice progress!! Still didnt install my rear end yet. Cant weight to see how the front handles when your done, I need to redo my front end as well. Keep up the good work!!

 

Well learned an expensive lesson tonight: If you don't have the time to take your time and make sure everything is right don't do it! Destroyed the seal and bearing so rear end won't be done for a couple days, but such is life! Wanted to paint the rear end housing this weekend, but will just wait until the axle are in!

 

One's done! Going to put in new wheel studs while I'm at it since I'm waiting on parts for the other now.

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After destroying a bearing and a seal I finally got the second one done! I have to get a new c-clip this evening to put on, but otherwise I'm glad to say they are rebuilt.
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Have to do the tube seals next and then put the axles back in. Hoping to start cleaning, scrubbing, and sanding the housing this week so I can paint it this weekend and get it all back together.

 

looks good.Whats next after this?I have the Prelude seats in my 87.They're ok.

 

Well about to go replace the shaft seals, press out the rest of the lug studs, put the new one in *should have done when it was all apart, but oh well*, then start cleaning/sanding the entire assembly so I can hopefully paint it this weekend. Then back under the truck it all goes.

Also hoping to take my fuel filler nozzle by a place tomorrow to see if he can repair the surface rust that's forming on the inside. With an all new fuel system I'm not trying to have rust get in it. Once that's done the tank goes back in.

Then the front end work starts: Going to replace everything in the front with Moog parts, belltech drop spindles, 1ton sway bar, and whatever else has to be done in the process. Anyone know the length for the sway bar end links? I can take the bar with me to the parts store to get the right diameter energy bushing holders, but no clue on the links.

 

Not sure on the links.Is that a brand new tank?Thats what I need for my 92.Since you're doing all that will you also cherry out your chassis?

 

Yep brand new tank and kind of wish I would have went with a fuel cell for balancing the weight, but oh well.

I've been thinking about doing the frame also, but would be in like a rustoleum acrylic enamel instead of the por-15 if I do end up doing it.

 

To further something: The frame will get sanded and undercoated sooner or later, but don't have the extra time/$$ to pull the bed and the cab to do it so once I finish this truck and find another vehicle this one is going back on stands for some major tricking out to the suspension...

Axles back in. Have to get some shallow sockets to finish tightening them down! Making progress, but not like I want.<center>
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Also: Are both axles supposed to turn when I spin the flange in the front?? I thought both only spun when an LSD or something was installed or am I wrong?

 

If you clamp the pinion flange & rotate one of the halfshafts (wheel mount) the other will rotate in the oppsite direction.

This is true for an open diff & a plate or viscous type LSD.
The locking effect in the plate or viscous diffs comes with the heat or friction of one wheel being driven faster than the other.
There may be more resistance in an LSD.

A mechanical diff is a whole different story again. They work on snake oil.

Good video below:

How a Differential Works and Types of Differentials - YouTube